As an English teacher, it always made me sad when a pupil declared, ‘I’m no good at writing!’ or ‘I hate writing!’  These feelings are valid and often come from an overemphasis on spelling, handwriting and grammar, and less time to write freely and imaginatively.  For some, writing freely is therefore a struggle and anything but therapeutic! 

At The Nook, we recognise that simply by using the phrase ‘creative writing’, some will be reluctant to join us.  We know they will need gentle, small steps with lots of encouragement.  We aim to help every person get to the point where they feel free to write, and their writing experience can, in turn, become therapeutic and enjoyable.  

We use various resources to inspire imagination, have fun, and develop the confidence to give writing a go.  

 ‘I find it hard to express how much of a wonderful influence you have been on him.  Thanks to your gentle coaching, his writing confidence has grown so much.  I can hardly recognise that this is the same boy that, 18 months ago, was refusing to write and finding the whole exercise so stressful.  He believes you when you say he should try being an author one day.  You’ve done that much for his self-belief.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!’  - H (Parent)

Writing is a wonderful way of creating stories and poems, processing life events, recording feelings, and being expressive. It doesn’t have to be shared or spoken out loud; it can be personal, imaginative, and brilliant! It can feel liberating, exciting, and hopeful.